Razi Journal of Medical Sciences

  Background : Diabetes mellitus as a chronic disease is associated with complications and stress. Empowerment as a coping index in health issues can be helpful among diabetic patients. In this study, we aimed to determine empowerment and adoption of self-management behaviors and its related factors among type 2 diabetic patients referring to hospitals affiliated to Tehran University of Medical Sciences during 2010.

  Methods: This study was a cross-sectional research conducted during a 9 months period (2010-2011). A total of 688 samples were selected by random sampling. A questionnaire consisting of three parts including socio-demographic and health related data, diabetes empowerment scale (28 items), and diabetes self- management instrument (35 items) was used. Collected data was analyzed by SPSS software version 18 with using parametric and nonparametric tests.

  Results: Response rate was 100 %. Mean age of participants was 54.41± 8.22 (Mean ± SD). Study findings showed that empowerment had significant relation between level of education (p=0.006) and age (p=0.009). Self- management and some variables such as age (p < 0.001), level of education (p < 0.001), marital status (p=0.04) and disease duration (p=0.004) had significant relationship. Also, Pearson correlation coefficient showed that empowerment had reverse and linear relation with adoption of self-management behaviors among type 2 diabetic patients. Thus, by increasing empowerment score, adoption of self-management behaviors is increased (r = 0.28, p < 0.001).

  Conclusion: Regarding to relation between empowerment and adoption of self-management behaviors, focusing on planning empowerment based interventions has been more highlighted. It seems these strategies can be helpful in decreasing complications and mortality.